Overhead garage door latch



OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR LATCH Filed June 30, 1964 x /4 A-.. v

/6 v i f George W. Foss 26 24 28 INVENTOR.

a: 36 3 2mm 4 22 /0 6 MW 29 United States Patent 3,285,646 OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR LATCH George W. Foss, 7122 Stansbury Ave., Van Nuys, Calif. Filed June 30, 1964, Ser. No. 379,327 Claims. (Cl. 292133) This invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in overhead doors of the vertically swinging type particularly although not necessarily, for garages and has for its primary object to provide novel means in the form of an anchor plate or keeper for retaining said doors in closed position.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an anchor plate or keeper of the character described which is adapted to 'be expeditiously adhered to the usual concrete floor of a garage thereby obviating the use of anchor bolts, etc., which are usually used for this purose. p Still another important object of the invention is to provide a keeper or plate of the aforementioned character which embodies simple but novel means for firmly anchoring the garage or other door in closed position.

Another object of the invention i to provide a device which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost,

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGUREI is a perspective view, showing an embodiment of the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference numeral 4 designates generally a conventional gara ge comprising the usual concrete floor 6. The garage 4 further comprises a vertical-1y swinging overhead door 8 which is provided on it lower edge, in the embodiment shown, with a suitable Weatherstrip 10.

Projecting from the lower portion of the door 8, on the inner side thereof, is a bracket 12. The bracket 12 includes a pair of spaced, opposed side plates 14 and a top plate 16, said bracket tapering to a point at its free end and including an open bottom. The plates 14 terminate in outwardly right angularly bent inner end portions 18 which are apertured to receive screws or bolts 20 for firmly securing the bracket on the door. Extending between the lower portions of the side plates 14 adjacent the inner end thereof is a plate 22.

A pivoted bolt or latch 24 is operable in the bracket 12. The outer or forward end of the latch 24 is pivotally I secured at 26 between the side plates 14 of the bracket 12. The other end portion of the latch 24 is .apertured, as indicated at 28 and connected thereto is the lower end of a chain 30 which operatively connects a manually actuated, key controlled conventional lock 32 on the door 8. The latch 24 further includes, at an intermediate point, a depending nose or abutment 34 which is operable through the open bottom portion of the bracket 12.

Mounted on the garage floor 6 for coaction with the latch 24 is a keeper 36. The keeper 36 includes a generally square (substantially pyramidal plate 38- of suitable material having therein a centrally located square opening 40. The opening 40 is for the reception of the depending p I ice nose 34 of the latch 24 and provides an abutment 42 therefor.

The plate 38 is secured in position on the floor Got the garage 4 through the medium of a special cement or adhesive 44 of appropriate strength. To further strengthen the bond, the bottom "of the plate 38 is serrated, as indicated at 46.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the keeper 36 may be quickly adhered to the garage floor 6 in the correct position through the medium of the cement 44. This constitutes an important and desirable feature of the present invention. Cementing the keeper in position obviates drilling the concrete floor for receiving bolts or other fasteners. As hereinbefore indicated, the serrations 46 further stengthen the joint. When the gaage door 8 is closed and with the plate 38 installed, the latch 24 rides up the inclined or sloped surface 48 and drops into the opening 40 for engagement with the wall or abutment 42 with the nose 34 contacting the floor '6, thereby positively anchoring said door in lowered or closed position against upward and outward swinging movement. It will thus be seen that the inclined portion 48 of the plate 38 functions as a guide to the opening 40 for the latch 24. As shown to advantage in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, when the latch is in lowered or operative position, the free end portion of said latch may rest on the plate 22 of the bracket 12. The substantially pyramidal shape of the plate 38 materially reduces the danger of stumbling over the device, as will be apparaent. Of course, to release and open the door 8, the key controlled handle 50 of the lock 32 is actuated for lifting the latch 24 through the medium of the chain 30. When the member 34 of the latch 24 has been lifted sufficiently to clear the abutment 42 the door may be readily opened.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. For example, the plate 38 may 'be of various shapes and dimensions.

What is claimed as new is as follows.

1. A latch for a vertically swinging overhead door, said latch including a keeper plate for securing on a floor adjacent a door, a bracket for mounting on the door, said bracket tapering to a point and adapted to project over the plate when the door is closed, and a vertically swingable latch member pivotally mounted in the bracket and having a part engageable with the keeper plate for anchoring the door in closed position, said bracket including a pair of side plates pivotally supporting the latch member therebetween, said bracket further including top and bottom plates mounted on the side plates, said bottom plate supporting the free end of the latch member when in an operative position and being spaced from the pointed end of the bracket for providing an opening for the passage of the latch member part, and means for raising the latch member.

2. The combination of claim 1, said plate having an opening therein for receiving the latch member part and providing an abutment engageable by said latch member part.

3. The combination of claim 2, said plate Fbeing substantially pyramidal and including an inclined guide to the abutment for the latch member part.

4. The combination of claim 3, together with serrations on the bottom of the plate, and adhesive means bonding the serrated bottom of the plate to a supporting surface.

5. A keeper for a vertically swinging latch on an overhead swinging door, said keeper comprising a substan tially pyramidal and square plate, said plate having a su stantially flat 'bottom surface provided with serrations,

an adhesive for securing the serrated bottom surface of said plate on a supporting surface adjacent the door for operative engagement :by the latch, said plate having a central opening therein concentric with the periphery of the plate for receiving the latch, said opening being defined by a peripheral Wall perpendicular to the bottom surface of the plate for engagement by the latch for anchoring the door in closed position, the top surface of said plate including inclined top portions, each inclined top portion extending from one side of the periphery of the central opening to one side of the bottom surface of the plate thereby providing a smoothly upwardly inclined surface on all sides of the plate, one of said inclined top portions being engageable by the latch and providing a camming surface therefor to the central opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 711,696 10/1902 Cook 292130 1,038,111 9/1912 Foss. 1,613,023 1/1927' Diete. 2,088,238 7/1937 Greenway 52-390 2,329,348 9/ 1943 Honig 292125 2,519,011 8/ 1950 Aurandt 292-640 X FOREIGN PATENTS 32,407 10/ 1904 Switzerland.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner. RICHARD E. MOORE, Examiner. 

1. A LATCH FOR A VERTICALLY SWINGING OVERHEAD DOOR, SAID LATCH INCLUDING A KEEPER PLATE FOR SECURING ON A FLOOR ADJACENT A DOOR, A BRACKET FOR MOUNTING ON THE DOOR, SAID BRACKET TAPERING TO A POINT AND ADAPTED TO PROJECT OVER THE PLATE WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED, AND A VERTICALLY SWINGABLE LATCH MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN THE BRACKET AND HAVING A PART ENGAGEABLE WITH THE KEEPER PLATE FOR ANCHORING THE DOOR IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID BRACKET INCLUDING A PAIR OF SIDE PLATES PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING THE LATCH MEMBER THEREBETWEEN, SAID BRACKET FURTHER INCLUDING TOP AND BOTTOM PLATES MOUNTED ON THE SIDE PLATES, SAID BOTTOM PLATE OPERATIVE POSITION AND BEING SPACED FROM THE POINTED END OF THE BRACKET FOR PROVIDING AN OPENING FOR THE PASSAGE SUPPORTING THE FREE END OF THE LATCH MEMBER WHEN IN AN OF THE LATCH MEMBER PART, AND MEANS FOR RAISING THE LATCH MEMBER. 